Airports join airlines in tightening the leash on animal travel
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November 22, 2025

As had been widely reported, airlines have seen a sharp rise in the number of animals traveling on planes. Some are ticketed pets, but many are pets that have been flying for free thanks to loopholes in rules governing the transport of emotional or psychiatric support animals.

American Airlines reported a 40 percent increase in the number of service and emotional support animals on flights between 2016 and 2017. United Airlines cited a 75 percent increase year over year.

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Emotional-support animals are becoming a big problem on planes, and airlines want them to go away
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November 22, 2025

According to Airlines For America — a trade group that represents major US airlines including American, United, JetBlue, Southwest, and Alaska — the number of emotional-support animals, or ESAs, traveling aboard commercial flights jumped 74%, from 481,000 in 2016 to 751,000 in 2017.

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Woman sues in US Court over emotional support animals
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November 22, 2025

MADISON — A town of Ixonia woman has taken her fight to federal court to keep the emotional support miniature goats and geese on her property that the town and Jefferson County said violates zoning ordinances.

The lawsuit Sara Manzke filed alleged the town and county have violated the Fair Housing Act which requires reasonable accommodations be made for individuals with physical disabilities.

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New service dog policy at Publix
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November 22, 2025

Publix is taking a stance against dogs. You can still shop with service dogs but they can’t go everywhere.

A manager at Publix says people are using these carts not only for food, but for animals. But new signs inside are hoping to change that.

A new sign now greets customers when they enter Publix.

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Justice Department responds to Florida service animal complaint
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November 22, 2025

The Justice Department reached an agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with The Pawn Shop and Tax Service, Inc., (The Pawn Shop) in Pensacola, Florida to resolve a complaint under title III of the ADA. The Department’s investigation found that the manager of The Pawn Shop asked a veteran who uses a service dog to leave because the manager mistakenly believed the dog was a pet, not a service dog. Public accommodations must permit Individuals who use service dogs, including veterans with disabilities who use service dogs for disabilities such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, or mobility disabilities, into their establishments.

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Southwest latest airline to restrict service, emotional support animals
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November 22, 2025

For service animals, Southwest says it will accept “only the most common service animals — dogs, cats, and miniature horses.”

“For the health and safety of our customers and Employees, unusual or exotic animals will not be accepted,” the airline added in its statement.

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Resturants face pet owners who say they need emotional support
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November 22, 2025

Health codes do not allow animals in establishments that serve, sell or prepare food. When informed of that rule, some customers argue, citing the fact that the Americans With Disabilities Act allows service dogs in restaurants and other food establishments. Many will then produce a letter stating that a beloved pooch is an “emotional support animal” and must be treated like a service dog.

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Berardelli Ex Rel. MB v. Allied Services Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine
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November 22, 2025

As a matter of first impression, despite the absence of a regulation specifically interpreting the RA’s mandate of “reasonable accommodations,” the RA generally requires that individuals with disabilities be permitted to be accompanied by their service animals, consistent with the mandate of “reasonable modifications” under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Such requested accommodations are per se reasonable.

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Woman registers pit bull as service animal after city citations
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November 22, 2025

ASHLAND, Miss. — It’s clear Debra St. Charles loves her dog Madison. Now she’s fighting the city to keep her beloved pit bull mix.
“Maddy is just a big, goofy girl. She’s my goofy girl,” St. Charles said.

St. Charles said she’s had one-year-old Maddy since she was a puppy. Maddy was originally was set to be a bait dog, St. Charles said, so she took her in.

“I had all the intentions of just giving her a boost in life and getting rid of her, but Maddy saved me. I can’t let her go. I can’t. I’m fighting for her,” St. Charles said .

But owning a pit bull in the city of Ashland, Mississippi is against a city ordinance. An alderman said the ordinance has been in place for years.

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